Thanks for the update. Hopefully this solves the oil leak too.

It sounds like the previous owner did a terrible job on maintenance. There is likely sludge through the oil passages of the engine.

Definitely keep a close eye on the oil level. Also look periodically at the oil pressure light in the car when driving. If the light comes on, stop driving the car asap as engine damage can occur. Keep a quart of oil with you as well.

Not sure on the best course of action. I would suggest changing the oil and filter again way before the recommended 3000 mile interval to get rid of the leftover sludge. Maybe in 500 miles? Hopefully another member will give you their recommendation.

 

well i have 2 quarts of oil in my car, ready for the worst and coolant also. ive always drove vw's and fords so im used to something breaking in my cars so im always prepaired. i was going to throw a bottle of lucas in but i was told do a regular change first drive it 3k miles and then put lucas in, at least for a car that is new to the owner, to clean some of the gunk as lucus cleans so well it can unclog other leaks and cause problems, and im gonna go synthetic after a few oil changes. i think that can hel with future blockages

and in this case i will change the oil and filter again in 500 to 1000 miles, ive used lucas in my supercharged 96 jetta and it worked wonders so i may use it at the next change

also that leak, is bigger than it looks, the whole underside of the leak is covered in oil all over the place, also the transmission hull also has liquid on it, i have noticed that all the work done to this car soo far is all loose, like the valve cover was. so im gonna take a day soon and make sure all the bolts are nice and tight.

 

Update:

Drove the car to work and and a few other places, even put it on the highway.
The more I drive it the better it's running. Before I changed the oil, the pressure light would flash quickly after it's post test when I first turn the car on. I havnt noticed it flash like that since the change yet, so I think that's good news

 

Sorry to bump this thread but I have a 95 accord and I am having the same issue. I have oil pooling right behind the valve cover gasket. (Pictures attached). So after reading this thread I just want to make sure I am understanding what is happening. The oil in the top of the engine isn't able to retreat back into the oil pan due to blocked passages, hence why the oil is leaking from the gasket on top of the engine. It makes sense, I just want to be sure I understand it right, and if the fix for this is an oil and oil filter change then I will do it right away. Thanks for any help guys.

 

I hope you are checking the oil level often.

Hard to call but it looks like the valve cover gasket is leaking and needs to be replaced.

 

Okay. I changed the oil and filter yesterday so I will check and see if it is still leaking but I will probably go ahead and replace the gasket anyways. It's only a few bucks and its fairly easy to replace.
I want to pose one more question. The bolt that holds the oil dipstick in is sheered off. Could oil be leaking from a loose dipstick? Thanks.

 

The oil dipstick tube actually enters the engine at a much lower elevation - down at the oil pump. So leaking from there wouldn't get up to where you see the pooling.

Still, you should try to extract/replace that bolt, or do something to fasten the dipstick tube so it doesn't vibrate & come apart.